


A Token

by blackchaps



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-14
Updated: 2013-04-14
Packaged: 2017-12-08 10:41:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/760439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackchaps/pseuds/blackchaps
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>tucked inside and around The Kindred part 1</p>
    </blockquote>





	A Token

**Author's Note:**

> tucked inside and around The Kindred part 1

*******

Talking to villagers wasn‘t exactly something Rodney was good at, and after a couple of harsh looks he subsided into using his hand held. He searched for any sign of anything unusual. There was also the wild possibility that one of these morons was using a zed-pm as a doorstop. It could happen. He doubted it, but it was worth checking.

“McKay, stay close,” Ronon growled.

Rodney didn‘t bother to look up. He heard that every mission, and he was close enough. There was nothing here but pots and rugs, and he barely controlled a sigh of pure frustration. He took a step back, hit something, and whipped around.

She glared fiercely at him. “Watch where you‘re going!”

“I will. Promise.” Rodney tried to sound manly, but he thought maybe he‘d squeaked. Her glare went up a notch, and he swallowed hard. “Seriously!” He craned his neck, looking for Ronon to save him from this Amazon woman, fast, before she killed and ate him. He stumbled back, and she caught him by the P-90, which was wrong on several levels. Jerking him forward, she leaned close.

“You insulted me.” Her voice was like gravel. “Buy something, and I‘ll forgive you. Maybe.”

He shook his head twice before his superior intellect kicked in. “I don‘t have any money.” Her eyes let him know that he‘d said the wrong thing. He grabbed his P-90, jerked it away, prayed it didn‘t go off, and found himself pressed into her large bosom. “Erk.”

She laughed and kissed him on the head. “I like you! Buy something!”

Trying not to breathe deeply, he managed to nod. “Okay!” He could only hope she could hear him. She picked him up by the shoulders and set him away; her wide mouth grinning. He tried to smile, failed, and wiped his mouth. “Do you bully everyone into buying stuff?”

“If it works, yes.” She wrapped her meaty arm around his shoulders. “Look at my wares.”

“Trying not to,” Rodney grumbled. He looked fast, saw nothing but trinkets, and tried to edge away, but she had him close, and Ronon was never around when he was really needed. Rodney found another inch between them. “I have a knife. Trade?”

“Let me see.” She let him escape another three inches. He grabbed the knife that hung off the back of his belt and held it up. She took it fast and ran it through several tests that were frankly unsanitary. Finally, she nodded. “Good. Pick what you want.”

Rodney wanted to run, but her meaty hand was still close. He spotted some of those medallions that Teyla had been talking about and grabbed one. “This has been fun. Bye!”

She threw back her head, laughing, and he bolted, nearly knocking Ronon down. Ronon found his feet fast, wrapping his big hands in Rodney‘s vest and growling. No words, just growls.

“Sorry!” Rodney tried not to wince as Ronon shoved him into a post.

“Would you two quit playing?” Sheppard drawled.

Rodney straightened his vest and tried to look disdainful and composed at the same time. “Has Teyla found out anything about Kanaan?”

“Not looking good.” Sheppard scanned the area from behind his sunglasses, and Rodney wished desperately that more people had showered and that less of them were pushing in on him.

“Blue skies,” he whispered, putting a wall to his back and breathing deeply. Ronon stalked off, and Sheppard smirked before following him. One small hand gesture, and Rodney knew he was supposed to fall in line. He did, stuffing the medallion in a pocket and wrapping his hands tightly around his P-90.

It was much later when Rodney was finally able to slump down on a bench and stare at his dusty boots. If he didn‘t eat soon, he was going to pass out, but he had to get this vest off first. Part of him knew he was focusing on the little things to avoid dealing with the fact that Teyla was – he screwed up his face and refused to even think it. Sheppard would find her. He would move heaven and Earth and even Todd to get her back home.

His stomach protested, and he forced off the vest. Opening his locker, he shoved it inside. Something dangled from a pocket, and he yanked it out.

The medallion. He stared down at it, trying not to remember his face against mounds of less-than-clean flesh. It had a sword on it – not bad workmanship. Teyla‘s words came back to him, and he leaned his head against the cool metal of a locker for a moment. They‘d find her. He straightened his back and ditched the medallion fast, before anyone saw him. That done, he yanked off his boots, slid on his sneakers, and headed for the mess hall. He had to eat.

The lab was too quiet. One look told him that Miko had been crying. Zelenka wouldn‘t meet Rodney‘s eyes, and Rodney wanted to yell at them that Sheppard would take care of this, and Teyla wouldn‘t appreciate all this drama. Instead, he stood in front of the white board, scanning the equation. It was wrong. He knew it was crap, but he hadn‘t been able to discover where exactly. Picking up the eraser, he hesitated one second and then erased it all.

Zelenka muttered something rude in Czech, and Rodney nodded in agreement.

“Rodney, gear up. We have a lead on Teyla.” Sheppard‘s voice was loud and clear in Rodney‘s ear.

“On my way.” Rodney tossed the eraser over his shoulder to Zelenka and hurried back to the ready room. Everyone else was already there, and he kept his eyes down so he didn‘t see the look he knew Sheppard would level at him for slowing them down.

“Move it, McKay,” Ronon growled.

Rodney forced himself not to fumble with straps and snaps. He stopped when he noticed his empty knife sheath. Looking around, he didn‘t see any spares. “Sheppard, I need a new knife.”

“McKay, what have I told you about losing weapons?” Sheppard rolled his eyes.

“Not to do it?” Rodney wasn‘t going to defend himself and explain how a huge woman had physically assaulted him. He sat down, lacing his boots tightly. They‘d find Teyla. They would. Ronon suddenly sat down next to him, holding out a knife. Rodney thought it looked far too sharp, but he was almost sure that refusing would be an insult. He took it gingerly and slid it in the sheath. “Thanks.”

“Don‘t lose it.” Ronon tied his hair back. Rodney didn‘t stare directly at the medallion, swinging against Ronon‘s chest.

“I won‘t.” Rodney clipped on his P-90, hiding his face.

Sheppard handed him some extra ammo. “Stay behind me.”

Rodney stuffed it away. His throat closed from emotions that he couldn‘t afford today.

“Or me.” Ronon clapped him on the shoulder.

“Will do.” Rodney eased to his feet, standing between them. “Let‘s go get her.”

**********

see the episode for more


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